Jun 4, 2013, 2:02 pm
Last edit by: mnbp
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Visa Information for the People's Republic of China (PRC, Mainland China)
Important: China's visa terms and conditions changed effective 12 Nov 2014 as far as duration, and 1 July 2013 for requirements and procedures. Do not rely on information posted prior to that date.
Note new FT thread regarding up to ten year visa duration: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...ov-2014-a.html
The PRC allows certain foreigners to transit China without a visa if they will be exiting the country within 24, 72 or 144 hours provided various other conditions are met. Please see the separate China 24, 72, and 144 hour Transit Without Visa ("TWOV") rules master thread and Wikipost for detailed rules and discussion.
The best source of current visa and travel document requirements is IATA'S TIMATIC, as that is what the airlines rely upon to determine whether they will permit you to fly. Star Alliance provides a free, easy-to-use TIMATIC tool to help you identify your exact requirements based on nationality, residency and specific itinerary. The SkyTeam alliance website contains a link which also allows you free use of TIMATIC, including good printouts of the information.
Note that posts made prior to 1 July 2013 have been archived, but are still available for reference at China Visa / Visas Master Thread (ARCHIVED). The old FAQ: Visa-Free Transit / TWOV thread is also closed but available for reference.
China Forum Ambassadors: moondog----------anacapamalibu----------jiejie----------mnredfox
(lower right wiki corner).Visa Information for the People's Republic of China (PRC, Mainland China)
Main source: Visa Page - Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America (external website)
Important: China's visa terms and conditions changed effective 12 Nov 2014 as far as duration, and 1 July 2013 for requirements and procedures. Do not rely on information posted prior to that date.
Note new FT thread regarding up to ten year visa duration: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...ov-2014-a.html
The PRC allows certain foreigners to transit China without a visa if they will be exiting the country within 24, 72 or 144 hours provided various other conditions are met. Please see the separate China 24, 72, and 144 hour Transit Without Visa ("TWOV") rules master thread and Wikipost for detailed rules and discussion.
The best source of current visa and travel document requirements is IATA'S TIMATIC, as that is what the airlines rely upon to determine whether they will permit you to fly. Star Alliance provides a free, easy-to-use TIMATIC tool to help you identify your exact requirements based on nationality, residency and specific itinerary. The SkyTeam alliance website contains a link which also allows you free use of TIMATIC, including good printouts of the information.
Note that posts made prior to 1 July 2013 have been archived, but are still available for reference at China Visa / Visas Master Thread (ARCHIVED). The old FAQ: Visa-Free Transit / TWOV thread is also closed but available for reference.
China Forum Ambassadors: moondog----------anacapamalibu----------jiejie----------mnredfox
China Visa / Visas Master Thread (all you need to know)
Jan 28, 2019, 2:17 pm
#1831
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Raleigh, NC
Programs: AA EXP/2MM, Delta silver, Marriott Ambassador Hilton gold
Posts: 156
I posted in the wrong forum for in-transit. I'm traveling RDU-DFW-PEK-DFW-RDU on Feb. 6-9, no ongoing travel. Does anyone know if an electronic visa can be obtained since I don't have enough time to go through the process of shipping off my passport and I don't live anywhere near a consulate. Thank you for any help you can provide.
Jan 28, 2019, 4:40 pm
#1832
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,333
Just thought I would add that applicants for a tourist visa in Los Angeles need to have their fingerprints taken if they have dual citizenship. Not sure if this policy also applies to having previous citizenship (i.e. naturalized citizen), but I would not be surprised if it were the same. I can't speak for any other offices/countries, but I would imagine this policy would be fairly universal. I just wish their website mentioned it, considering how many people in the LA area do have dual citizenship (since almost everyone in LA is from somewhere else).
Not sure if it has been posted already, but my search came up empty so I wanted to add as a data point. I wasted a whole day today trying to apply for my husband after coming up empty looking for any info relating to this topic yesterday. Now it looks like I will be able to make 5 visits to the LA office in a period of 3 months! Whoo hooo!!!
Not sure if it has been posted already, but my search came up empty so I wanted to add as a data point. I wasted a whole day today trying to apply for my husband after coming up empty looking for any info relating to this topic yesterday. Now it looks like I will be able to make 5 visits to the LA office in a period of 3 months! Whoo hooo!!!
Jan 28, 2019, 4:50 pm
#1833
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,055
I posted in the wrong forum for in-transit. I'm traveling RDU-DFW-PEK-DFW-RDU on Feb. 6-9, no ongoing travel. Does anyone know if an electronic visa can be obtained since I don't have enough time to go through the process of shipping off my passport and I don't live anywhere near a consulate. Thank you for any help you can provide.
Jan 28, 2019, 7:10 pm
#1834
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Raleigh, NC
Programs: AA EXP/2MM, Delta silver, Marriott Ambassador Hilton gold
Posts: 156
I did just that. Sent everything off to Houston this evening and should get it back by Friday. Both AA and UA are sticking to their guns that they are 100% positive I don't need a visa and that "they book this travel all the time" but I know they are wrong. Appreciate all the knowledge of the folks in this forum and I'm looking forward to a quick but great trip.
Jan 31, 2019, 5:53 pm
#1835
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Raleigh, NC
Programs: AA EXP/2MM, Delta silver, Marriott Ambassador Hilton gold
Posts: 156
My visa is completed and I have the fed ex getting it back to me tomorrow! I will be going to PEK and seeing as much as I can in 1.5 days. Unfortunately my friend sent her passport/paperwork to the NY office and not the Houston office. She will not get her visa in time for the trip
.
Just posting this in case someone needs to get a visa done quickly to send it through TX versus NY if you have a choice and don't have time.
. Just posting this in case someone needs to get a visa done quickly to send it through TX versus NY if you have a choice and don't have time.
Feb 1, 2019, 1:19 pm
#1837
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Raleigh, NC
Programs: AA EXP/2MM, Delta silver, Marriott Ambassador Hilton gold
Posts: 156
My visa was completed yesterday and fex ex has my passport being delivered today! Going solo now but I've booked a tour and looking forward to seeing everything I can in my short stay and earning 33K EMQ's!
Feb 1, 2019, 2:08 pm
#1838
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 590
Going solo next month. Hopefully they don't try to stop me from leaving at the end of my trip.
Feb 1, 2019, 8:42 pm
#1839
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 94
So I sent two passports, both residents of Florida, to China Visa Solutions (located in Chicago) and it was an amazingly easy process and worth every penny for the help and peace of mind. They had me send our applications first so they could proof read them before sending my packet. Once the packet arrived at their location 3 business days later they sent me back two passports with 10 year visas. To sweeten the deal, China Visa Solutions was the cheapest service I found and hands down the most professional. I certainly took a risk sending them to a Chicago located office but they said they had not had issues in the past and can confirm that mine was processed without issue. Hope this helps someone else that is looking from out of the region but didn't want to deal with the other services which are much more expensive and less personal .
Feb 19, 2019, 8:33 pm
#1845
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,098
A disturbing post on Caravanistan yesterday indicating that Turkish (or Iranian) stamps are now a bar to getting a tourist visa in Hong Kong, at least in the case of the Polish and Spanish posters.
https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2222&start=10
https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2222&start=10